ࡱ> OJKLMNq bjbjt+t+ ObAA ]$$$$f$f$f$z$z$z$z$8$6%z$vx(:(@z(z((546k44 xxxx=xLLaaf$4o25444a6$$z(( (6664X$8z(f$(xz$z$$$$$4x6|68 OiN$f$x(:'Uz$z$4<wNUECES COUNTY 5-YEAR COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN FY 2005 FY 2010  AUGUST 31, 2003 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION 3 II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 5 III. JUVENILE JUSTICE ISSUES 8 IV. CRIMINAL (ADULT) JUSTICE ISSUES 18 V. VICTIMS ISSUES 22 VI. SYSTEMIC ISSUES 27 VII. LONG-TERM EVALUATION GOALS 30 VIII. CONCLUSION 30 IX. ADDENDUM (DATA) 31 X. ADDENDUM (LINKAGES) 44 XI. ADDENDUM (GRANTEE FUNDING) 48 XII. AGENCIES THAT PARTICIPATED IN COMMUNITY PLANNING 59 I. INTRODUCTION: The Nueces County Community Plan is prepared for the State of Texas, Criminal Justice Division (CJD), as mandated by the Governors Office for proper distribution of grant funds according to local gaps in service. The Plan responds to CJDs intent to support programs that promote help and healing for crime victims, provide safe places and positive role models for young Texans, and expand equipment and training opportunities for Texas law enforcement officers. The FY 2005 - FY 2010 Nueces County Community Plan is the vehicle by which the citizens and service providers in Nueces County (1) identify and prioritize risk factors that lead to criminal activity and victimization and (2) respond with effective programs and an efficient services delivery system. Planning processes provide opportunities for agencies to exchange information regarding current services and encourage systemic networking among agencies to fill gaps in services. Working within the plan, agencies are better informed with respect to data-based community needs, researched best practices, and opportunities for collaboration thus enhancing the value of available resources, avoiding duplication when not beneficial, and encouraging complimentary services. DEMOGRAPHICS: Nueces County is located along the Gulf of Mexico approximately 120 miles south of San Antonio and 240 miles southwest of Houston. The county covers 835.9 square miles, 672.9 miles rural and 163 miles urban. The total population in Nueces County from the 2000 census is 313,645. The ethnic breakdown is Hispanic 55.8%, Anglo 38.3%, Black 4.2%, and other 1.7%. The median household income is $29,198 with 22% of the residents living below the poverty level. With lower household median income than the State ($34,478), Nueces County has more families, persons, and children in poverty. Therefore, Nueces County families must try to support more people with fewer dollars in income. We find that family and community resources both in terms of active adults and funds are less available to deal with the risk factors in this community than in others. Nueces County grew only 7.7% from 1990 to 2000 while the state grew 22.8%. Population figures indicate that Nueces County continues to have larger families with fewer working age adults available to provide for the young and elderly. The 2000 census data indicates that Nueces County grew at a much slower rate than the State as a whole; Nueces County grew 7.7% from 1990 to 2000 compared to that of 22.8% statewide. While the countys population was younger than the states in 1990, it has aged; in 2000 Nueces Countys population was 65 years of age and older compared to 9.9% statewide. In 2000, Nueces County had only 60.4% of its population in the 18 to 64 age range as workers and taxpayers compared to 61.9% for Texas. The City of Corpus Christi, the largest city in Nueces County and its County seat is also the largest metropolitan area south of San Antonio, Texas. COMMUNITY SNAPSHOT: High levels of adult crime and juvenile delinquency and a corresponding dramatic growth in crime victimization continue to afflict Nueces County citizens. Data also indicate, however, the influence of issues, or risk factors, that lead to and support criminal activity and victimization; and, that these risk factors intermingle and aggravate each other. Poverty and substance abuse data appear alongside juvenile misdemeanor and criminal activity data. Illiteracy has shown to aggravate adult rehabilitation and reentry into the community and the workplace. Teen pregnancy correlates to child abuse and victimization; child abuse correlates to adult crime. Solutions addressing such complex issues cannot be simple band aid fixes. The FY 2005 FY 2010 Nueces County Community Plan, based in part on the Comprehensive Strategy for Serious, Violent and Chronic Juvenile Offenders planning process developed under the auspices of the U. S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), focuses on assets and resources addressing these issues and provides a template for collaborative community action. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Nueces County citizens have come to recognize that controlling criminal activity and crime victimization points to the need for not only immediate short-term responses, but also a long-term continuous process of collaborative assessment, planning and evaluation. Strategies for community change must (1) clearly identify the root causes of criminal behavior, and (2) revolve around a continuum of care that extends from prevention through intervention and confinement to aftercare and reentry. To be effective, responding services must be research based, founded in corroborated data, and focused on outcomes that support community change strategies. COMMUNITY OBJECTIVES: Surveys from the fields of law enforcement, judiciary, health and social services, education, and workforce development record consensus on objectives toward resolution of juvenile, criminal (adult), victims, and systemic issues in Nueces County: Reduce violent crime on a long-term basis by promoting prevention and intervention strategies. Reduce the demand for and supply of illegal narcotics; direct drug suppliers and users into court-ordered supervision and treatment programs. Prevent crime, including gang activity and substance abuse, through community education with emphasis on comprehensive youth services. Ensure safe streets, schools, playgrounds, and neighborhoods through neighborhood-based law enforcement and protection. Develop personal, parental, and community responsibility and accountability. Enforce current laws and modify legislation to reflect public safety concerns. Adequately fund innovative and effective police, fire, rescue, and victim services. Provide appropriate punishment and rehabilitation of offenders through a swift, creative, and responsive justice system for first-time and habitual offenders. Promote the holding of offenders accountable for their illegal acts to the community through the use of the Progressive Sanctions model. Strengthen families and improve parenting skills. Reduce incidence of child abuse, neglect, sexual abuse, and exploitation. Reduce incidence of teen pregnancy. Reduce incidence of school dropouts and truancy. Provide workforce skills development training for adults and encourage employment preparation training for youth. Fully utilize and enhance existing community resources through collaborative planning and funding efforts. Commit our community to the well being and success of our adults and children. The challenge to Nueces County citizens and service providers is to develop a system of integrated services that addresses the root causes of community problems with programs that incorporate community objectives. PLAN FORMAT: Under OJJDP, guidance and technical assistance, local efforts to address youth issues initiated an historic partnership in 1997 that led to the development of a community-wide comprehensive approach to collaborative assessment, program implementation, and systemic reform. The collaboration, known as Youth Opportunities United (YOU), published the YOU 5-20 Year Comprehensive Strategic Plan in 1999, and today continues to generate successful strategies uniting the community to meet the needs of our youth. This comprehensive approach focusing on data collection, resource assessment, system and linkage analysis, outcome planning, evaluation, and outreach provides the foundation for the Nueces County community planning process. The FY 2005 FY 2010 Nueces County Community Plan follows the YOU plan in categorizing services under continuum of care sub-categories including prevention, intervention, sanctions, confinement and aftercare/reentry. Where possible, an attempt has been made to categorize services within service areas, or domains, including Community, Law Enforcement, and Justice. The Nueces County plan begins with juvenile justice issues followed by criminal (adult) justice and victims issues under the premise that prevention and early intervention with children, youth and their families can often deter the development of adult criminal activities and, in the end, crime victimization. PLAN CONCLUSIONS: Work done during the development of the FY 2005 FY 2010 Nueces County Community Plan concurs with the following findings: In 1999, the YOU 5-20 Year Comprehensive Strategic Plan reported that research on resources and systems indicated Corpus Christi (and Nueces County) citizens and service providers were: Working strongly in prevention and intervention efforts, particularly responding to juvenile justice issues Doing well in developing intermediate sanctions and community confinement programs. However, the system was weak in: Early assessment Interagency referral and case management systems Prevention and intervention services for children 0-6 and their families Providing skills training programs for youth. A Youth Opportunities United (YOU) report in 2002 (Comprehensive Strategic Development Project Report and Plan, July 31, 2002) noted the need for: Cross-discipline (service-based) professional training opportunities Accountability- and community-based sanctions for juvenile offenders Job readiness training strategies and programs for youth and young adults Integrating the faith community and business sector into the continuum of care. The need for additional work in the areas covered by the FY 2005 FY 2010 Nueces County Community Plan include: Accountability- and community-based sanctions for adult offenders Reentry job training strategies and programs for adult offenders Crime victim and restitution-sanction program network planning and development Integration of faith community and business sector into the continuum of care. While agency surveys continue to point out the need to work toward a more effective integrated services delivery system, it will be noted that several agencies in specific domains provide a wide spectrum of services within the continuum of care, and that many agencies also serve as referral points to others outside of their specific area of service. However, gaps continue to appear in data sharing, record networking and follow-up after referral. The Nueces County Community Plan continues to evolve every year. While laying out a plan to improve a system that positively impacts the incidence of violence and abusive behavior and the onset of problem behaviors within a low-income at-risk community, it also takes into account the many effective services being provided and the continuing need to reinforce these services with funding. III. JUVENILE JUSTICE ISSUES: PROBLEMS: High levels of juvenile arrests, delinquency, gang activity and violence (data) Substance abuse (behavior) Teen pregnancy (behavior) Academic failure and lack of commitment to school (risk factor) Lack of parental (adult) responsibility (risk factor) Poverty and economic deprivation (risk factor) Early initiation of problem behaviors (risk factor) DATA ANALYSIS: Data collected and analyzed by the YOU Data Collection and Analysis Work Group (coordinated by the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Center of Social Science Study directed by Dr. Philip Rhoades) 1. Family Management Problems and Family Conflict The number of child abuse victims served at the Nueces County Childrens Advocacy Center has steadily increased in the last seven years. The rate of adult abuse confirmed victims and child abuse confirmed victims are higher in Nueces County as compared to the State. The rate of children in foster care in Nueces County is also much higher than the State. In 2001, this rate was double that of the State. 2. Extreme Economic Deprivation In the last several years, Nueces Countys economic health remains behind the State and National level. The gap between the County, State, and Nation continues to grow rather than shrink The percent of unemployment and families in poverty remains higher in Nueces County than the State or Nation. One in three Nueces County kids live in poverty. The proportion of Nueces County families in poverty has not changed for at least 10 years. Even in what was supposed to be a boom time in our national economy. Nueces Countys employment availability is low in pay. 3. Early Initiation of the Problem Behavior Drug Abuse violations for this age group in the State and County has increased 52.5% between 1995 and 2001. Nueces County students begin their drug use earlier when compared to the State. Forty-five percent of Nueces County middle school students say they used drugs and alcohol by age 13. Early Academic Failure and Lack of Commitment to School In a 1996, the longitudinal dropout rate for Texas was 9.1%, while for CCISD it was 13.4%, and for Robstown ISD it was 15.3%. The dropout issue remains a problem for school districts covering a majority of students in Nueces County. High poverty is found in the Robstown ISD and West Oso ISD areas. Robstown, West Oso, Tuloso-Midway, and Corpus Christi ISDs have had lower SAT or ACT scores than the State. Flour Bluff ISDs proportion has consistently remained higher than the State, whereas, the other five school districts have fluctuated from year to year. Both reading and math test scores, as measured by the TAAS test have improved for the State and for the six largest school districts in Nueces County. However, for three of these school districts, CCISD, Robstown ISD, and West Oso ISD representing a majority of the students in the County, test scores have been below the State average for both reading and math. 5. Favorable Parental Attitudes and Involvement in the Problem Behavior Children whose parents or guardians who engage in problem behaviors are likely to engage in the same behaviors. These adult behaviors send a powerful message to the children of Nueces County. Nueces County sales of alcoholic beverages have remained relatively stable, from 1997 to 2001 there was an increase of 63.9%. Alcohol and drug use are problems among the adult population in Nueces County. The long-term effects of alcohol abuse can be seen by the number of deaths due to liver disease and cirrhosis. Nueces County has a much higher death rate, due to liver disease and cirrhosis, than the State. RESPONSES: Domain: Community Continuum: Prevention, Immediate Intervention Intervention and treatment services provided through Family Counseling Service include community-based counseling for parents and children involved with abuse and neglect, transitions such as divorce/remarriage, grief and loss, and adolescents involved with the juvenile justice system. Two groups providing sex offender treatment meet weekly. The Transparenting class is mandated for parents of minor children participating in a legal action. Senior citizens are served through informal agreements with local senior community centers. Eighteen licensed therapists provide services. The agency also contracts with two school districts and Nueces County Juvenile Probation Department to work with children and families through counseling and the Choice Living Program. Family Forward (FF) of Corpus Christi, a division of the Family Counseling Service, meets the needs of parents and children through support groups and educational groups. FF offers support to parents who are stressed, abusive or wanting to improve their family management and conflict resolution skills. Concurrent childrens groups are offered to address the childrens need for nurturing, healthy modeling and appropriate expression of emotions, addressing the need for early intervention. The Middle Way Parenting Classes offer a 15-week education/support group. Curriculum is provided for adults, adolescents and children. Also important is the availability of the Hotline to parents in crisis, a telephone line providing child abuse prevention counseling and referral to appropriate support groups. These services are offered in local churches, schools and city parks and recreation locations. All are available free of charge. The Texas Agricultural Extension Service in Nueces County provides educational programs in the areas of nutrition and health, parenting, resource management, food production (gardening), clothing and textiles, and 4-H and youth development programs. The 4-H and Youth Development programs are delivered through trained volunteers. Among the project offered are foods and nutrition, clothing and textiles, character education, leadership life skills, consumer education, and gardening. The curriculums are targeted at youth ages 8-18. A special program for high school youth ages 15-18 is the Teen Leadership program. A class of 25 youth is held each semester. Youth must be nominated for the program and participate at no cost. Participants are selected by the Teen Leadership Advisory Committee to insure a diverse class. The spring class meets on Monday nights and the fall class meets on Tuesday nights at the Del Mar College East Campus. The Camp Fire Boys and Girls provides after-school programs covering topics such as environment, personal/educational development, health/physical education, social recreation, cultural enrichment, and citizenship/leadership. The drug free programs provided by this organization are an attempt to keep youths off the streets and provide them with a better alternative. With Nueces County having one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates in the United States, a broad spectrum of prevention programs is needed to focus on this issue from a variety of perspectives. In response to the need for coordination of existing services, the United Way of the Coastal Bend has initiated the Success by 6( Program, collaboration focusing on early childhood development. The Teen Pregnancy Prevention Task Force, hosted by the Corpus Christi Independent School District, works to expand and enhance curriculum through a partnership between the District and social service providers. Service/school collaborations also provide programs focused on keeping teenage parents in school and developing both workforce and parenting skills. A primary prevention program that helps overburdened first time parents (mothers between the ages of 17 and 24) on any Nueces County Women, Infants and Children Program (WIC) is Healthy Families at Driscoll Children's Hospital. This intensive home visitation program focuses on family self-sufficiency, child health and the prevention of child abuse. Planned Parenthood of South Texas provides educational programs to reduce teen pregnancy, to encourage teens to recognize and avoid abusive relationships, and to prevent sexual abuse and assault. The Hispanic Men United and Male Involvement projects focus on the role of adolescent males in prevention of teen pregnancy, and offer citizen/leadership training, health education, college and career counseling, and after school and weekend activities. The Dads Are the Difference (DADS) project is a resource for teenage fathers, providing support groups, referrals, and fatherhood/parenting education. The Child Abuse Prevention Council of South Texas, under the Nueces County Childrens Advocacy Center, has programs directed to inform and educate the public with respect to child abuse and neglect, developing educational and training services to professionals, foster services for abused and neglected children and their families, communicate with the legislature, state agencies, and the judicial system and advocate for appropriate reforms. Youth Odyssey, Inc. is a nonprofit organization that exposes todays at-risk and underprivileged youth to new ideas and understanding of the world around them through Adventure Challenge Programs and Living Classrooms. The goal is to help fill the gap in the continuum of youth services in the Coastal Bend by providing a vehicle for positively influencing pro-social behavior. The program works to build self-esteem, leadership skills and stimulate vision for the future by providing hands-on mentoring programs in supervised settings. Youth are provided with adventure experiences outside their normal horizons. The program focuses on prevention and early intervention as studies show students that participate in Adventure Programs show significant improvement in their problem-solving abilities, leadership skills, independence and other attributes. Area school districts work closely with law enforcement and community services in identifying needs of students and their families and matching those needs with resources. Typical of area school districts, the Corpus Christi Independent School District (CCISD) participates in service/school collaborative programs targeting drug and substance abuse among youth, self-esteem development, anger control, conflict resolution, youth leadership, and career development. Recreation and education enrichment activities are available to students and families through Latchkey and community-based service programs using school facilities after school hours. CCISD also targets youth at-risk of dropping out of school by providing tutoring, mentoring, and personal development programs in partnership with other community-based services. In response to safety and discipline issues, CCISD sponsors the 3R Discipline Program (Rules, Responsibility, Respect), a partnership between students, parents and CCISD adults focusing on safety, respect, discipline and the promotion of an orderly learning environment Communities In Schools, Inc. (CIS) provides social services to children and youth ranging in ages five (5) through twenty-one (21) and also their family members. CIS connects schools with the resources students and families need most. Young people receive services on their elementary, middle, and secondary school campuses. This means growing numbers of children in at-risk situations benefit from: Supportive Guidance & Counseling; Health & Human Services Coordination; Parental & Family Involvement; Pre-employment/Employment Training & Services; Enrichment Activities and Experiences; and Educational Enhancement. Services are provided in sixteen (16) of the schools in Corpus Christi Independent School District. CIS links educators, employers, government agencies, law enforcement and community organizations in partnerships for students who are in at-risk situations. This multi-disciplinary approach improves attendance, academic performance and behavior. Most notably, it lowers the school dropout rate. The 74th Legislature in response to a legislative initiative, Article 4413 (503), Section 16, offers the Community Youth Development (CYD) Grants. The Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services was selected to request action plans for Community Youth Development programs from thirteen communities with high incidence of juvenile crime. The 78415 zip code in Corpus Christi was one of the areas selected to receive grant monies to address the conditions in their community that they believe lead to juvenile crime. The entire community has combined their talents, energy, and expertise to provide a supportive and nurturing environment for all children. The mission of the Community Youth Development (CYD) Program is to develop and implement programs to reduce juvenile crime in an effort to empower youth to become productive citizens. The grant currently is in its fourth year of operation. Since 1996 over 18,000 youth have received services from local organizations committed to supporting, teaching, training, and empowering youth and their families living in 78415 to be productive, successful citizens in our community. The programs that are being offered to youth and their families in 78415 are mentoring and counseling, volunteer services, education programs, and youth activities. The grant is administered locally by the City of Corpus Christi Park and Recreation Department. Because many juveniles begin a career in crime as truants from school due to idle time and curfew violating, the Juvenile Assessment Center (JAC) serves Nueces County as a central holding point for truants and other curfew violators, providing a detainment point for law enforcement officials from the Corpus Christi Police Department, the Corpus Christi Independent School District, the Nueces County Sheriff's Department, and local Constable precincts. Juveniles found to be truant or in violation of the Citys daytime and nighttime curfew ordinance are brought to the site and their parents are contacted. Parental accountability is addressed by the parents day being interrupted to pick up their children, be assessed and receive counseling, and, if daytime, by returning their child to school for a conference with the school administrator. Juveniles not picked up by parents by the end of each curfew are transported to the Gulf Coast Council of La Raza runaway shelter. Services available at the JAC are on-site counseling for children and families, assessment of at-risk conditions, information on and referrals to other community agencies and long-term case management. Close coordination with school districts assists in lowering the truancy rate and consequently the crime rate as the juveniles are off the streets and not getting into trouble. Local Justices of the Peace assist with the problem by allowing the local school districts to file on juveniles who have a large number of truancy violations in one school year. The JAC is a program of the City of Corpus Christi Parks and Recreation Department in partnership with the Corpus Christi Police Department and is funded by the Crime Control and Prevention District. Youth Opportunities United (YOU), is a comprehensive strategy developed to strengthen the family, support core social institutions, promote delinquency prevention, intervene immediately and effectively, and identify and control the small group of serious, violent, and chronic juvenile offenders who have committed felony offenses or have failed to respond to rehabilitation efforts. In November 1996, Texas was selected by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) in Washington, D.C. as one of five states in the nation to receive funding for training and technical assistance to develop a comprehensive strategic plan statewide to promote prevention and intervention strategies to prevent serious, violent, and chronic juvenile crime. In 1998, the State of Texas Governors Office selected the Nueces County to be one of five sites in the state to receive technical assistance and training to assist our community in developing a five year community comprehensive strategic plan to prevent serous, violent, and chronic juvenile delinquency. Nueces County, The City of Corpus Christi, United Way of the Coastal Bend and the Kenedy Foundation joined forces as partners in the development and implementation of the OJJDP Comprehensive Strategy Planning Initiative, known as Youth Opportunities United (YOU). YOU is a comprehensive strategy uniting our community to meet the needs of our youth. Taking Back the Streets in the Name of Jesus Christ Ministries, Inc. (TBSINJC), is a local non-profit organization that provides resources to youth who desire to leave the gang lifestyle or are at risk of becoming involved in gang activity within the Nueces County. The focus of population is gang members and families of inmates. The programs provided are GED, computer skills, literacy, sports and arts. These programs are done in collaboration with juvenile courts, churches, and local law enforcement. In September 2003, Path of Righteousness, POR, a one year After Care program will begin. It starts with a curriculum of 31 weeks and includes mentors. It is designed specifically for adolescents coming out of boot camp or incarceration. Mentoring Families of Inmates is another program that will be provided beginning September 2003. The Womens Shelter of South Texas provides individual and group counseling services and a summer day camp program to children who are victims of family violence or who reside in a home where family violence has occurred. In addition the agency conducts an educational program entitled Project D.A.T.E. (Dating Abuse Teen Education) for area schools and youth groups to address the issues of dating abuse and sexual assault. To address the fragmentation of the family and the ultimate toll it takes on children there is the Womens Shelter of South Texas Visitation Center. Many children are in the foster care system after being removed from their parents care. This removal is frequently due to injury of the child, an incidence of family violence, or the inability of the parent to properly care for the childs needs. Supervised visitation is also an alternative chosen by many judges when they do not wish family ties to be severed, but feel that the childs safety and well-being is best served when the non-custodial parent supervised while interacting with the child (ren). The goal of supervised visitation is to provide the parent and child the best opportunity to interact and develop a positive relationship. Frequent visitation enables familial attachment to continue. Observance and assessment of the visitations lead to identification of issues affecting the parent-child relationship. The Womens Shelter of South Texas Visitation Center provides a safe environment for the visit while facilitating the development of parenting skills, positive reinforcement and re-direction of inappropriate behavior. Domain: Law Enforcement; Juvenile Justice Continuum: Prevention; Immediate Intervention The Corpus Christi Police Department (CCPD) addresses the prevention of criminal behavior through several initiatives. The Gang Analysis Unit funded through CJD grant funds continues to address the youth street gang problem through proactive measures. The unit is responsible for entering and updating some 2,000 records of known and suspected gang members into a relational gang database. The Nueces County Gang Prosecutor funded through State grant monies complements this unit by working with area law enforcement agencies compiling information, identifying local gang members, preparing a case, and prosecuting criminal cases against gang members. Having one individual well informed of gang members and their activities makes for a better presentation in court. The Nueces County Sheriffs Department (NCSD) participates in crime prevention programs within the county. NCSD, in cooperation with the Nueces County Juvenile Department, has developed the Night In Jail program that offers juvenile offenders a glimpse of life behind bars, an eye opening tour, and a frank discussion about life in jail. Through DARE (anti-drug) classroom interactive instruction, the NCSD and the Corpus Christi Police Department serve ten area school districts. The GREAT program was the first anti-gang prevention program to be initiated into schools in Nueces County. Domain: Juvenile Justice Continuum: Sanctions; Confinement For the past three years, the coalition of law enforcement, education and human service agencies that has come together to fight juvenile crime in the Coastal Bend has seen its efforts pay off in a steady decline in violent and property-related youth crime and, more recently, in gang violence as well. The Nueces County Juvenile Justice Center and San Patricio County Juvenile Justice Center serve as the main detention centers for the region as well as the primary service providers for juvenile offenders and their families in the region. They provide supervision, substance abuse counseling, court services, educational and intervention programs, and counseling for juvenile offenders and their families. Additionally, these juvenile departments provide delinquency prevention educational services to their communities in an effort to curb the problems. These juvenile departments serve as the heart of an extensive network of services directed toward reducing recidivism. They network with area social service agencies in providing necessary services to juvenile offenders and their families. These agencies include the Department of Protective and Regulatory Services, Gulf Coast Council of La Raza, MHMR, City/County Health Department, Memorial Hospital, Coastal Bend Council of Alcohol and Drug Abuse, the Family Violence and Sexual Assault Prevention Center of South Texas, Inc., the United Way INFO Line, the Juvenile Assessment Center (JAC), and Family Counseling Services. The Robert N. Barnes Regional Juvenile Placement Facility opened in November 1999 with 96 beds, the Juvenile Justice Center Prevention Unit, and the JUSTICE Boot Camp and Detention Overflow. The state of the art facility serves Progressive Sanctions Level V juvenile offenders in Nueces County and surrounding areas. Mandated by the State Legislature, the Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Program is a collaborative effort among the Nueces County Juvenile Department and local county school districts. The school, currently operated by private vendor, is under the supervision of the Nueces County Juvenile Board and serves students who have been removed from local schools alternative education programs for discretionary reasons such as persistent misbehavior as well as mandatory students who are removed by violations of certain statutes. The program is currently located on an unused Corpus Christi Diocese campus. In 1996, the Texas State Legislature mandated Juvenile Boards in counties with a population over 125,000 to operate a Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Program (JJAEP). That same year, the Nueces County Juvenile Board approved the Nueces County JJAEP, which serves all mandatory and discretionary expulsion students from all 12 Nueces County school districts plus three out-of-county school districts. Enrollment at the JJAEP for school year 2002-2003 was 163 students. If it were not for the creation of the JJAEPs, these 163 students would have been on the streets for the duration of the expulsion. In addition to the educational services provided to the students at the JJAEP, the Nueces County Juvenile Probation Departments Prevention Unit provides access to all department services including prevention counseling, parenting classes, anger and communication classes, tours of county jail and juvenile boot camp, mentoring, and referrals to other agencies as needed. Domain: Juvenile Justice Continuum: Sanctions, Confinement, Aftercare The judicial system plays a major role in the community as it provides for punishment and rehabilitation of offenders through a responsive justice system. Part of previous community plans successfully implemented during 1999 was Court at Law #5, which specializes in juvenile and Child Protective Services cases. Additionally, the Probation Rules Enforcement Program (PREP) was developed with a juvenile accountability block grant from the Governors Office. PREP targets intensive supervision probationers with nighttime home visits and random drug screens. In order to keep the juvenile crime rate down and to decrease it further, it is necessary to continue addressing the problem through the timely litigation of and progressive sanctions for juvenile offenders. The Nueces County Attorneys Office has two full-time Juvenile Prosecutors who screen, review, prepare, and prosecute juvenile offenders arrested for felony level conduct or with a history of multiple misdemeanor referrals. The Prosecutor meets with probation administrators daily and law enforcement officials regularly to review policies and practices in an effort to encourage swift criminal prosecution of youth offenders. They also work in conjunction with other criminal justice officials to identify serious habitual offenders and monitor their behavior while in the community or seeking residential confinement. The Nueces County Juvenile Department and the District Clerk provide court services for juveniles who merit prosecution. Following the trial, a multitude of services are provided including placement in childrens homes, counseling, electronic monitoring, drug testing, referral to appropriate services, supervision during the probation period, and others. GAPS AND NEEDS: During 1999, the Governors office made available $850,000 to develop the Project Spotlight Program for Nueces County. During 2000, this program was developed and implemented involving a collaborative effort among the Nueces County Juvenile Department, the Nueces County Community Supervision and Corrections Department, and the Nueces County Sheriffs Department. The program consisted of three teams in designated geographic areas made up of a juvenile probation officer, an adult probation officer, and a sheriffs officer. The teams target repeat juvenile and youthful offenders by aggressively supervising and enforcing probation rules for repeat offenders. It was a valuable proactive policing program for the Nueces County community. However, State funding has completely been cut for this program. Even when fully funded, the Juvenile Assessment Center does not have enough case managers to fully meet the communitys need for case management. The funding for four of the six case managers runs out on August 1, 2004 and, unless more funding is found, the communitys capacity to provide case management to at-risk youth will be severely depleted. CRIMINAL (ADULT) JUSTICE ISSUES: PROBLEMS: Drug trafficking and drug related criminal activity (behavior) Substance abuse (behavior) Poverty and economic deprivation (risk factor) DATA ANALYSIS: Adults arrested for drug abuse and alcohol related violations have steadily increased in the last three years. The sale of alcoholic beverages has been gradually increasing The number of adults in drug or alcoholism treatment units has slightly decreased in the last two years but increased 63.9% between 1997 and 2001. The long-term effect of substance abuse can be seen in the rates of deaths due to liver disease and cirrhosis. The percent of unemployment and families in poverty has remained higher in Nueces County than the State or Nation. The gap in per capita income between the County, State, and Nation continues to grow rather than shrink. RESPONSES: Domain: Community Continuum: Prevention The Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse is a non-profit, full continuum, service provider. Services include Education, Prevention, Intervention, Out-Patient Treatment, Screening, Assessment and Referral. Services are currently offered to adolescents and adults residing in the 12 county Coastal Bend Region. The Council has a 40-year history of serving those whom have a limited ability to pay and enjoys an excellent reputation among statewide and local social service delivery agencies. The Womens Shelter of South Texas Battering Intervention and Prevention Program (BIPP) was developed out of a concern and need to offer a cost effective and comprehensive program for battering intervention in Nueces County as domestic violence incidences have increased at an alarming rate. The program acknowledges that batterers are a separate category of violent offenders requiring specialized intervention and thus its focus is on interrupting, avoiding, and ending violence and abuse while recognizing the batterers capacity to change. The Battering Intervention and Prevention Program utilizes a group format for the main focus of its services provided to batterers as groups allow greater opportunity for confrontation and accountability than does individual work. Perpetrators in groups begin to see that others have had similar problems with abusive behavior and they then begin to break through self-imposed social isolation, communicating with and challenging each other about their violence. In addition, groups have been found to be cost effective, enabling facilitators to reach as many batterers as possible while dealing with their own professional time constraints versus the large numbers of individuals to be seen. BIPP is the only program within South Texas in compliance with legislative guidelines passed in 1995 and endorsed and supported by the Criminal Justice Assistance Division and therefore, the only available referral source for Nueces County Community Supervision and Corrections Department. Domain: Community Continuum: Intermediate Interventions Turning Point Counseling Services, through their Victims of Crime and Tri-County Outreach Services programs, provides free counseling services to children ages 5-18 and their families, as well as adult survivors of abuse/neglect who struggle as parents or in relationships. Issues include domestic violence and witnesses to violence or traumatic events. Services are provided in Nueces, Aransas, and San Patricio counties. With a volunteer staff of 10-12 Masters-Level Counselors from Texas A&M University, the agency is able to make counseling services both accessible and affordable to families, who, otherwise would fall through the cracks of the system. Counseling services include education, prevention, and intervention services through individual, family, marital and group sessions. Services are collaborated with several partnering agencies in an effort to prevent duplication of services, to promote information sharing in the servicing of clients in the region, and to strengthen programs. Services are provided at the convenience of the client. All services to partnering agencies are at no cost including MHMR, Nueces County Childrens Advocacy Center, Juvenile Probation Offices, Nueces and San Patricio), Dos Mundos, Salvation Army, Communities In Schools, and more. Turning Points mission is to make counseling accessible, free, and focused on quality services. Domain: Law Enforcement Continuum: Intermediate Intervention; Intermediate Sanctions; Confinement The Corpus Christi Police Department established a Family Violence Unit in September 1999 that deals exclusively with all reports of domestic violence. The unit is geared and intended to enhance the quality of life for the citizens of our community and to significantly reduce the incidence of domestic violence through aggressive and well-coordinated proactive measures. Through recent VOCA and VAWA grant awards from CJD, two Victim Case Managers will be hired to expand and enhance the Unit. Area social agencies will continue to provide assistance through the use of their victim advocates located at the Police Department. Because of the shortage of law enforcement personnel, effective deployment of existing resources into problem areas is a key element in fighting crime. The CCPD Crime Analysis Unit uses computer technology to identify patterns of criminal activity and then disseminates the information to officers, providing them with a direct link to problem areas. The unit assists Neighbors On Watch groups by tracking the criminal activity in their neighborhoods, stressing community involvement and neighborhood ownership. The Tri-County Narcotics Task Force uses officers from Nueces, San Patricio, and Aransas County Sheriffs Departments to target street level narcotics dealers and conduct narcotics investigations in communities that have no full-time narcotics officers. The Narcotics Task Force coordinates with local law enforcement agencies regarding exchange of intelligence, and enlists assistance in identifying, apprehending, prosecuting, and enforcing rehabilitative efforts for drug dealers and users. The Nueces County Sheriff's Department (NCSD) serves eight (8) cities throughout the county encompassing both incorporated and non-incorporated rural and urban areas. As the State-recognized major law enforcement entity within the County, the NCSD operates the main correctional facility within the County responsible for more than 1,000 prisoners from 38 area law enforcement agencies. The NCSD also coordinates alternative incarceration programs for more than 600 prisoners. More than 30 community-based organizations benefit from work performed by these minimum-risk prisoners whom are released daily to return to their homes. The Nueces County Sheriffs Department organized the first operational multi-jurisdictional gang task force and related crime suppression unit through the establishment of the Nueces County Gang Task Force. The task force is comprised of five participating Constable Officers, the Robstown Police Department, the Nueces County Office of Supervision and Corrections (Probation Department) and the NCSD. Domain: Justice Continuum: Intermediate Sanctions; Confinement: Aftercare The Community Supervision and Corrections Department (CSCD) of Nueces County serves four County Court-at-Law Courts, and eight District Courts. It is the mission of the CSCD to promote the protection of the community, provide quality, cost effective, community-based services by offering a continuum of sanctions to the Courts trying to reintegrate offenders as successful contributing members of society. This mission is based upon and fully supports the following: promotion of local citizen involvement in the local criminal justice system, promotion of accountability within the criminal justice system to meet local correctional needs, promotion of excellence within the local criminal justice system, and promotion of respect for the community and the individual with the use of progressive sanctions serving as model alternatives to incarceration. This mission should not be interpreted as giving more rights to the public than they already have under the Constitution and State laws. The department's services include pretrial release and diversion supervision; basic supervision, with special areas such as mental health, sex offender, and substance abuse caseloads; basic victim services including financial restitution, victim offender mediation, victim notification letters, and counseling referrals; community service restitution (CSR); residential facilities; and funding for a drug court program that has just been awarded; and federal grants are pending for a greatly enhanced drug court and a new community policing project. We no longer have funding for Intensive Supervision, Violent Offender and Gang caseloads; as well as, education-literacy and electronic monitoring program. Residential community corrections programs are utilized as a rehabilitative alternative to incarceration in jail or prison. By providing three residential programs for nonviolent offenders, CSCD offers a continuum of sanctions based on the degree of supervision, and/or discipline that is required on a case-by-case basis. Residential programs may work in conjunction with each other depending on the needs of the offender. Currently, the three residential CSCD programs are as follows: HOPE Residential Program, the Residential Intensive TAIP Experience (RITE), and the Substance Abuse Treatment Facility (SATF). HOPE is an intensive residential substance abuse treatment program, which is 6 months to 1 year in duration, and is a comprehensive therapeutic approach that provides recovery life skills needed to experience recovery and maintain sobriety. The RITE is a ninety-day substance abuse residential facility that provides treatment services primarily for misdemeanor offenders. The SATF is a 64-bed residential community facility that is nine to twenty-four months in duration, and is dedicated specifically to working with offenders who have substance abuse problems. Treatment provides a structured environment to address issues such as chemical dependency, behavior modification, adult education, employment, emotional health and physical wellness. Domain: Justice Continuum: Sanctions The Nueces County District Clerk's Office, with a limited staff, performs an essential role "behind the scenes" in the judicial system by processing the actual case files and providing administrative support and statistical data to eight judicial District Courts, four County Courts at Law, one Juvenile Court, one Court Master's Court (child support cases), Attorney General (child support cases), Attorney General (seizure and forfeiture), Community Supervision and Corrections Department of Nueces County, Sheriff's Department, District Attorney, County Attorney, Court Administrator, and Family Assistance Program. Because an inordinate number of violent criminal defendants are waiting their turn at trial due to an overloaded court docket, the Nueces County Special Prosecutor's unit has implemented a "direct filing of criminal cases" system. This provides for non-violent offenses to be filed directly with the District Clerk so they may be disposed of by the prosecutor instead of going through the Grand Jury or being on the court's jury docket. This frees the time for other prosecutors to concentrate on the more violent offenses as well as freeing the docket for those violent offenders who no longer can hide behind a stagnant docket. GAPS AND NEEDS Poverty and economic deprivation is rarely addressed throughout the continuum of care. There is a definite need to bring the business sector into the continuum in order to provide literacy, job readiness and job training, and workforce reentry programs both preventively (providing income security which would preclude criminal activity derived from economic need) and for the purposes of interventive community accountability and reentry after confinement. VICTIMS ISSUES: PROBLEMS: Fear of crime and retaliation (behavior) Family violence and violence against children (behavior) Sexual abuse and exploitation of minors (behavior) Inadequate community knowledge and advocacy for victims services (risk factor) DATA ANALYSIS: From 1993 to 2000, cases of reported child abuse and neglect increased 12.4% for the State. In Nueces County there has been an increase of 20.1%. According to the Crime in Texas Report, in 1995, the rate of family violence reports for the State by 1,000 population was 9.2, but for Nueces County it was 10.0. By 2000, the State ration had dropped to 8.4 but in Nueces County, the rate increase to 14.4 in 1999 and dropped slightly to 14.0 in 2000. Even though the numbers are decreasing, domestic violence remains a serious problem due to the fact that County rates are still much higher than the State. Nueces County is increasing population wise at a slower rate than the State but its family violence is increasing at a higher rate. Family violence affects a greater number of Nueces County residents than other Texans. RESPONSES: Domain: Community Continuum: Immediate Intervention The Womens Shelter of South Texas is the only agency within a twelve-county service area specifically addressing the needs of victims of family violence and sexual assault. The agency provides the following services to any victim of family violence and/or sexual assault at no charge: Toll-free Crisis Hotline answered 24 hours a day, utilizing active listening skills and providing assistance and referral services; 65-bed Residential/Safe House all basic needs (food, clothing, counseling, support services) provided. Youth Services counseling, support and activity groups, Project DATE (Date Abuse Teen Education), summer day camp and other services designed to protect, support and educate child victims; Counseling Services individual and group counseling; Legal Advocacy assistance in completion of protective order applications, filing of criminal charges, accompaniment to police/sheriff departments, court proceedings, and hospitals and assistance in filing Texas Crime Victims Compensation claims; Case Management/Resource Services advocacy to obtain community resources such as affordable housing, childcare, employment, medical care and schooling; Sexual Assault Intervention and Prevention Services sexual assault response team members provide 24-hour response to sexual assault victims, advocacy, support and information; Rural Outreach Services peer counseling, referrals, and legal advocacy to victims provided at non-residential service centers located in counties surrounding Nueces County; Battering Intervention and Prevention Services (BIPP) provides services to perpetrators of family violence. The Womens Shelter of South Texas BIPP is the only area program meeting the guidelines by the legislature and CJAD for service delivery. Community Education Services - professional and community training in the dynamics of family violence and sexual assault. As victims are too often lost in the system, the Crime Victim Services (CVS) Division of the Family Counseling Service provides crisis counseling, guidance and advocacy through the justice system to victims of crime in a six county area. CVS staff and volunteers provide information and referral, personal advocacy, court accompaniment, assistance in completing forms necessary to apply for Crime Victims Compensation and assistance with victim impact statements. Mental health counseling (funded by VOCA, victims compensation, sliding fee scale or scholarships) is also available. CVS provides emotional support, hospital and home visits and follow up phone calls. Advocates are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Services are generally provided for victims of crime other than domestic violence or sexual assault, i.e. homicide, assault, and robbery, DWI, DUI, stalking, and child and elder abuse. The Nueces County Childrens Advocacy Center provides forensic interviews, videotaped and written, of children involved in an investigation of child sexual abuse. Referral for forensic interviews is accepted by any law enforcement agency, prosecutorial agency and Child Protective Services. To intervene in the escalating cycle of child abuse, the Childrens Advocacy Center was opened in 1994 with a mission to lessen the trauma to abused children and their families and to improve the response of the child protection system by uniting the efforts of public agencies and enlisting support from the community. This mission was further supported through legislation, which outlined the structure and funding for the development and implementation of centers across the state. The goals of the Center are to advocate for the rights of children and their specific needs and create an environment where child abuse is no longer tolerated. The center facility is a house with a child-friendly atmosphere where a myriad of services is provided. In addition to aiding the child and their family, the center advocates for a collaborative approach by the involved agencies resulting in the children being interviewed less, medical and mental health services are available sooner and case resolution is quicker. Programs of the center include a Victim Services Program that includes crisis counseling, information and referral, trial preparation and court accompaniment. In March 1999, the center collaborated with another non-profit counseling center to provide an on-site teen support group. The Forensic Interview Program provides a trained interviewer available to interview children regarding allegation of child sexual abuse. The facilitation of a Child Fatality Review Team charged with reviewing all deaths of children under the age of 17 years and to establish preventive and intervention mechanisms that will reduce child fatalities. A Case Tracking System networks partner agencies to enhance the sharing of information as well as data collection. A Volunteer Program offers diverse opportunities to interact with and offer support to the children and their families who are served by the center. The center also provides educational and prevention activities to the community and professionals. Annually, the center covers travel and training expenses for collaborative agencies in an effort to supplement the training provided through their designated agencies to enhance the skills. Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Nueces County, Inc. protects young victims of abuse and neglect from being re-victimized by the very system supposed to help and protect them. The CASA program consists of trained community volunteers who advocate for the best interest of these children in the court system and work to find a safe and permanent home for these victims. District and County Court at Law #5 Court judges appoint CASA volunteers to work with the Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services, attorneys assigned to the children, the County and District Attorney, the Nueces County Juvenile Justice Center, the Corpus Christi Police Department and other involved agencies. Domain: Law Enforcement Continuum: Immediate Intervention The Corpus Christi Police Department received CJD funding to hire a Computer Forensics Specialist. The goal of the grant is to enhance the capabilities of the CCPD in the areas of prevention, investigation, and prosecution of computer-facilitated crime, especially in cases involving computer based sexual exploitation of children. The unit also provides public awareness seminars and programs for parents on the issues involving use of the Internet by children. The Corpus Christi Police Department established a Family Violence Unit in September 199 that deals exclusively with all reports of domestic violence. Through CJD funding from VOCA and VAWA, two Victim Case Managers manage the unit which is geared and intended to enhance the quality of life for the citizens of our community and to significantly reduce the incidence of domestic violence through aggressive and well-coordinated proactive measures. The Nueces County Juvenile Department also has a Victims Assistance Coordinator who works with the victim to provide services through the Crime Victim Services program as well as collecting and disbursing monetary restitution to the victims of juvenile offenses. The Nueces County Juvenile Departments Make Amends Program provides coordination and supervision of the performance of Community Service Restitution for juvenile offenders at area non-profit agencies. Accomplished in 2000 was the passage of the City Council Ordinance strengthening the existing graffiti ordinance and establishing the Community Graffiti Task Force. The Community Graffiti Task Force will better coordinate the removal of graffiti utilizing community service participants and volunteer groups. Additionally individuals refusing to allow for free graffiti cover over will be punished with fines. Prompt graffiti removal is required by City Code. The Nueces County Sheriffs Departments SALT Program, Seniors and Law Enforcement Together, is utilized by the NCSD to train senior citizens to recognize and react to crimes specifically targeting that segment of the population Domain: Justice Continuum: Intermediate Intervention; Sanctions The Nueces County Districts Attorneys Office has a Crime Victims Unit. The Outreach Advocate Program provides assistance to victims and law enforcement agencies in the countys rural areas such as Agua Dulce, Banquete, Bishop, Driscoll, Flour Bluff, Petronila, Port Aransas and Robstown. This program is designed to serve female and male crime victims that do not have an advocate due to cultural, geographical, language and ethnic barriers. The Advocate educates public service personnel such as Constables, Nueces County Sheriffs Department, Probation Officers, and Emergency Medical Technicians with methods of responding to growing instances of domestic conflict. Pamphlets, information, and materials from the Attorney Generals Office are distributed at the seminars. This program provides public education and training to churches, high schools, and community service organizations. It provides referrals to the Family Violence and Sexual Assault Prevention Center of South, Texas, Inc., and other referrals as needed, counseling and crisis intervention. Assistance with legal representation and assistance with Texas Crime Victim Compensation Fund is also provided. The Crime Victims Unit of the Nueces County District Attorneys Office works with victims to ensure they are informed of the rights guaranteed to them under the law and the services, which are available through various agencies. Services are provided from the point a complaint is brought to the office by the victim or by an investigating agency until the case is disposed and the defendant is serving out a sentence. Services include case information, referrals, court preparation, court accompaniment, assistance with filing out forms, and following the parole process on imprisoned inmates. Assistance with the Texas Crime Victims Compensation Fund for medical bills, burial expense, and loss of wages, loss of support and counseling fees for battered spouses and assault victims. They also provide a program of free bus tokens for transportation by the Regional Transit Authority of Corpus Christi. The Coordinators work closely with the District Clerk and area law enforcement agencies, prosecuting attorneys, and the judiciary to assist the victims of crime. The Nueces County District Attorneys Office Victim Coordinators assist in obtaining Protective Orders in the event of domestic violence cases. They can also obtain Emergency Protective Orders in the case that the assailant is in custody. There is also assistance including case information, referrals, court preparation, court accompaniment, and assistance with filing out the forms. GAPS AND NEEDS: The Judicial system in Nueces County suffers from a lack of prosecutors and investigators. The eight district courts in Nueces County handle criminal and civil cases on a random assignment basis and because of the lack of manpower, there is only one prosecutor available for each court, regardless of their experience. The result is a new attorney going to trial on a complicated violent crime against an experienced attorney. With other major counties in the State having at least two prosecutors in each court, Nueces County is seriously lacking in this area. With a serious backlog of criminal cases, they simply cannot be given the attention needed. Other gaps from the judicial side include the need for a domestic violence/sexual assault crime unit, a child abuse prosecutor and a juvenile gang crime unit. Separating battling family members and/or removing potential victims from danger can reduce opportunities for violent domestic crime. The management of domestic and family violence cases must be reviewed and revised to mandate arrest, prosecution, and counseling. Programs and classes in the prevention of sexual assault, domestic violence and property loss should be more widely promoted. There are other gaps such as: programs addressing victim restitution, working with the disabled population, advanced technologies, developing, training, or expanding specialized units, developing and implementing police and prosecution, policies, protocols, and orders that respond to crimes against women, creating installing, or expanding data collection and communication systems, developing, enlarging, or strengthening victim service projects, sexual assault nurse examiner services, and developing, expanding, or strengthening stalking programs. SYSTEMIC ISSUES: A. PROBLEMS: Inadequate public safety protection Insufficient neighborhood ownership - Including all cities within Nueces County. Inadequate communication and coordination between services. RESPONSES: The problems identified above are addressed by numerous agencies with an intricate connection bringing the resources together. There is a multitude of services available and each participating agency serves as a referral point to the following agencies. This referral process addresses the need for a seamless continuum of services for youth and adults from prevention strategies, through intervention and sanction programs, to confinement and ultimately aftercare for criminal offenders. The referral process also takes into account the issues and needs of crime victims. Domain: Community The City of Corpus Christi Weed and Seed program is now in two areas of the City, the Northside that includes HIALCO and the Westside extending to the Calallen area, providing additional law enforcement and encouraging neighborhood revitalization through coordinated social services. Weed and Seed combines the strategies of enforcement through community policing and coordinated local and federal law enforcement with crime prevention and intervention and treatment for drug and alcohol abuse. Neighborhood restoration is the ultimate goal of the strategy: to "weed out" violent crime, gang activity, drug trafficking, and drug use; and to "seed in" programs for community revitalization. Domain: Law Enforcement A community's first line of defense addressing rising criminal activity lies in its level of available law enforcement personnel. Both the Corpus Christi Police Department and the Nueces County Sheriffs Department have their own training academies for their officers, but smaller communities do not have these capabilities. The Regional Training Academy at Del Mar College offers these resources by providing training for Basic Peace Officers and advanced courses for veteran officers. Other law enforcement community activities noted below also address recruiting and training of law enforcement personnel. In November 1997 and again in November 2002, the voters of Corpus Christi approved a 1/8th-cent sales tax increase for the Corpus Christi Crime Control and Prevention District. ADVANCE \d 4  The goals of the District are: To fund additional police officers in high crime areas of the City. To decrease the incidence of criminal offenses associated with young offenders. To provide preventive measures to break the cycle of gang recruitment and violence. To reduce citizens fear of crime. To further the Police ability to fight crime by adding technological enhancements and new equipment. The following programs and services have been implemented: 50 additional Police Officers Expand Traffic Safety Section Street Lighting in High Crime Areas Expand Canine Unit Establish Citizen Advisory Councils Additional Prisoner Transport Vehicle Expand Juvenile Enforcement Team Expand Bicycle Patrol Additional Mobile Data Terminals Video Imaging System Juvenile Assessment Center Campus Crime Stoppers Replacement of High Mileage Police Vehicles ADVANCE \d 4  The additional funds are providing the necessary resources; personnel and technology to address the rising juvenile crime issue and establish additional preventive measures. Each of the programs has been implemented. GAPS AND NEEDS: Though several projects focus on including neighborhood ownership of criminal issues and responses such as Project Weed and Seed, there is still limited involvement from a majority of the population. There is a need to promote public empowerment and to enhance community-wide efforts to address grass-roots concerns. Community leaders must continue to come together in a non-traditional format, to augment neighborhood-based initiatives encouraging groups that do not typically communicate to share information. Agencies must also educated the public about all available services and help parents overcome the stigma of admitting that they need help and to seek out support and education. Positive activities for youth are important tools in long-term crime prevention. Cooperative efforts among agencies should encourage the use of schools, city buildings, and area churches for youth and family activities during the summer, evenings, and weekends. Also, there is an enormous need to coordinate before and after school activities, college/career planning and job training, health and safety programs along with education about substance abuse, sexual abuse, assault, and pregnancy prevention. Having identified mentoring as a successful strategy in addressing youth, especially at-risk youth, community organizations should match young people with responsible trained adult volunteers. In a community with limited resources, there is a huge need for business and community volunteers and funds. A continuing need to focus on is prevention programs, particularly the development of programs that address early childhood initiation of problem behaviors in order to break the cycle of violent and criminal activities. Other needs are as follows: After-care programs, including but not limited to personal workforce skill development following incarceration. Area law enforcement agencies that are operating at minimal manpower levels due to budgetary problems. We challenge non-profit, government, and private services to identify both long-term and short-term strategies that will blend federal, state, and community funding opportunities in a comprehensive start to finish continuum for criminal justice as stated throughout this plan. LONG-TERM EVALUATION GOALS: It is the Nueces County Community Planning Teams desire to revisit and fine tune the community plan on a yearly basis. CONCLUSION: Based on 1995sVision 2000 Report, the vision of a safe and secure community for Nueces County would look like the following: The Nueces County area is nationally known as a safe community. Through innovative programs, community policing, education and civilian support, our streets, schools and neighborhoods are secure. Appropriate consequence and rehabilitation are implemented quickly and the fear of crime is very low. Young people have a strong sense of belonging and juvenile crime is one of the lowest in the country. All citizens, especially parents, are held accountable and are actively involved in prevention and control. Our community, with a thriving economy is a safe and desirable place to live. ADDENDUM (DATA): Population change in Texas (by Steve H. Murdock Texas State Data Center) Trends affecting the future of Texas and Nueces County: Increase in the non-Anglo population Aging of the population Change in Household composition In the 2000 Census, Texas (20,851,820) is counted as being the 2nd largest state population wise, 2nd only after California (33,871,648). Its percent change (1990-2000) is twenty-two point eight percent. The population in Nueces County (313,645, with a percent change of seven point seven percent) is made up of seven incorporated cities: Corpus Christi (the county seat - 277,454, with a percent change of seven point eight percent), Agua Dulce (737), Bishop (3,305), Driscoll (825), Petronila (83), Port Aransas (3,370), Robstown (12,727), and a population living in census designated places (15,144). Population by Age, 2000 (%) TX Nueces Co. City of C. C. Agua D. Bish. Drisc. Pet. Port A. Robs. Under 15 23.5% 23.4% 23.3% 25.4% 24% 27.8% 24% 14.2% 28% 15-19 7.8% 8.2% 8.1% 11% 9% 6.6% 6% 6.6% 9% 20-24 7.4% 7.2% 7.3% 6.2% 5% 7.5% 4% 3.7% 7% 25-34 15.2% 13.4% 13.6% 11% 13% 11.5% 13% 8.6% 13% 35-64 36.2% 36.6% 36.6% 36.4% 36% 34.5% 42% 51.2% 31% 65+ 9.9% 11.2% 11.1% 10% 13% 12.1% 11% 15.7% 12% Race/Ethnicity, 2000 TX Nueces Co. City of C.C. Agua D. Bish. Drisc. Pet. Port A. Robs. % Anglo 53.1% 38.3% 39.2% 33% 38% 15% 63% 90% 5% % Black 11.6% 4.2% 4.7% % Hispanic 32.0% 55.8% 54.3% 66% 60% 84% 34% 6% 93% % Other 3.3% 1.7% 1.8% 1% 2% 1% 3% 4% 2% Percent change in population by race/ethnicity, 1990-2000 TX Nueces County City of Corpus Christi Anglo 7.6% -2.9% -3.6% Black 22.5% 11.3% 11.3% Hispanic 53.7% 15.1% 16.2% Other 81.2% 51.8% 52.7% NUECES COUNTY PRIORITY RISK FACTORS Five Priority Risk Factor sets have been identified for Nueces County by the Texas A&M University at Corpus Christi led by Dr. Philip Rhoades. Family Management Problems and Family Conflict Extreme Economic Deprivation Early Academic Failure and Lack of Commitment to School Early Initiation of Problem Behavior Favorable Parental Attitudes and Involvement in the Problem Behavior Family Management Problems and Family Conflict The number of child abuse victims served at the Nueces County Childrens Advocacy Center has steadily increased in Nueces County for the last seven years. The rate of adult abuse confirmed victims and child abuse confirmed victims are higher in Nueces County as compared to the State. Adult Abuse Confirmed Victims (Per 1,000 Adults) Child Abuse Confirmed Victims (Per 1,000 children) The rate of children in foster care in Nueces County is also much higher than the State. In 2001 this rate was double that of the State.  Extreme Economic Deprivation In the last several years, Nueces County remains behind the State and Nation. The percent of unemployment and families in poverty remains higher in Nueces County than the State or Nation. While the per capita income has been steadily increasing in Nueces County the gap between the County, State, and Nation continues to grow rather than shrink. Extreme Economic Deprivation remains an important risk factor for this community. Early Initiation of the Problem Behavior Violent arrests, alcohol-related arrests, and property arrests for the 10-14 age groups have steadily declined in the State and County as whole. While some progress has been made with this age group, this risk factor needs to remain a priority risk factor. Drug abuse violations for this age group in the State and County has increased 52.5% between 1995 and 2001. Nueces County students begin their drug use earlier when compared to the State. Early Academic Failure and Lack of Commitment to School TAAS Reading and Math scores in four out of the six largest school districts are either at or above the State scores. The results are similar when examining SAT and ACT scores. % of READING TAAS SCORES   % of MATH TAAS SCORES Proportion of eligible students scoring at or above accountability criteria on SAT or ACT. Favorable Parental Attitudes and Involvement in the Problem Behavior The most prominent indicators in this category are alcohol and drug use. Adults arrested for drug abuse and alcohol related violations have steadily increased in the last three years. The sale of alcoholic beverages has also been gradually increasing. The number of adults in drug or alcoholism treatment units has slightly decreased in the last two years but has increased 63.9% between 1997 and 2001. The juvenile data on alcohol and drug use reported later in the report is similar to the adult data. Juveniles appear to be modeling the behavior of the adults. The long-term effect of substance abuse can be seen in the rates of deaths due to liver disease and cirrhosis. Since 1997 the rate of cases for the State has been dropping, whereas in Nueces County, the rate has been increasing. Clear Impact in the Community The communitys effort toward these initiatives needs to be continued and strengthened so that the negative effects of these risk factors are further reduced. THE FIVE PRIORITY RISK FACTOR SETS ARE REPORTED IN THEIR ORDER OF SERIOUSNESS FOR THE COMMUNITY Family Management Problems and Family Conflict Domestic violence includes child abuse. Families that are experiencing management problems are families in conflict. Failure of a marriage due to conflict is a failure in management of the family as a social unit. Research literature supports that child abuse, domestic violence, family conflict, and failure of parenting contribute to juvenile delinquency and adult criminality. These problems contribute to the cycle of violence where children growing up in negative environments grow up to be ineffective and potentially abusive parents themselves. Foster Care - Each child placed with an adoptive family saves Texans an average of $200,000 in foster care fees. The most important thing is to find homes for children. These kids have endured the worst experiences of their life and are waiting for a second chance at childhood. Family Management Problems (Child Abuse) The 2001 rate of confirmed victims for Texas was 7.2 while the rate for Nueces County was 14.2 almost double that of the State. This data demonstrates that a greater number of children are at risk of abuse in the County. The data indicates that family management problems remain significant in the community. Domestic violence Rate of Domestic Violence Reports Source: TEXAS UNIFORM CRIME REPORTS Family Conflict: Over the long term, the number of family violence reports has been increasing in the State, County, and County seat. According to the Crime in Texas Report, in 1995, the rate of family violence reports for the State by 1,000 population was 9.2, but for Nueces County it was 10.0. From 1995 to 2000, the rate of family violence decreased. However, in Nueces County the rate increased. By 2000, the State rate of family violence reports had dropped to 8.4. In the County, the rate increased to 14.4 in 1999 and dropped slightly to 14.0 in 2000. Even though the numbers are decreasing, domestic violence remains a serious problem due to the fact that County rates are still much higher than the State. With Nueces Countys population increasing at a slower rate, but family violence increasing at a higher rate than the State. Very clearly shows that family violence affects a greater number of Nueces County residents than other Texans. It may be concluded that family conflict is present and increasing in the community. Divorce The rate of divorces per 1,000 population for the County is higher than the State. The rate was the same as the State in 1996, but again increased to 5.3 in 1997, which was higher than the States 4.8 rate. The higher divorce rate for Nueces County compared to the State is another indicator that family conflict occurs at a higher level in the County than the State. DIVORCE Per 1,000 population  Female Householders: In Texas, 12.7% of female householders have no husband present. The Nueces County data is slightly higher than the State at 15.3%. This set of risk factors is clearly present in the community. Data indicators for child abuse, domestic violence, runaway and divorce all indicate greater effects in the community when compared to the State and the problems appear to be increasing. Extreme Economic Deprivation Economy One in three Nueces County kids live in poverty. The proportion of Nueces County families in poverty has not changed for at least 10 years. This is in the face of what was supposed to be a boom time in our national economy. Nueces County is struggling along and the majority of employment available is low in pay. CHILD POVERTY rate per 1,000  Family management problems and conflict occur often in situations of family stress. A significant stress on families is poverty. Extreme Economic Deprivation remains an important risk factor for this community. Per Capita Income- Nueces County demonstrates a worse off economic condition than the Nation or the State. One way of looking at economic deprivation is through the use of per capita income figures. In 1990, per capita income for the Nation was $19,142. For Texas, it was only $17,310 and for Nueces County it was only $15,218. Per capita income in Nueces County was only 87.9% of the State figure and 79.5% of the National one. However, in 2000, per capita income for the Nation was $29,469. For Texas it was $27,752. It was $24,013 for Nueces County. Therefore, in 2000 the per capita income in Nueces County was only 86.5% of the State figure and 81.5% of the National figure. The change in ten years has only been slight. It is important to recall the population information provided earlier. The per capita income information means that the smaller number of wage earners in the community make less than individuals in other parts of the State. It becomes obvious that with more dependents and fewer dollars, families in the community are likely to be under greater economic stress. Per capita income for Nueces County residents remains well below that for the State, and it is even lower when compared to national data. Unemployment- Unemployment in the County has historically been higher than State levels. The unemployment for Nueces County remains higher than the Nation and State but the gap appears to be shrinking because the whole nation is experiencing economic difficulties. PERCENT UNEMPLOYED The proportion of families in poverty for Nueces County in 1999 was 35% higher than that for the State. Pockets of even greater poverty are reflected by the Robstown ISD and West Oso ISD data. Its proportion of children that are economically disadvantaged is almost double that of the State. These proportions in 2001 ranged as low as 29.5% for Calallen ISD to as high as 70.6% for Robstown ISD. PERCENT OF STUDENTS FROM ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED FAMILIES  Economic growth has not extended to Nueces County families in poverty. This lack of growth is reflected in the fact that unemployment remains higher in the County than in the State. Welfare Aid - Recipients of Food Stamps, Medicaid, and TANF: This data shows that while most indicators of poverty have remained stable or increased, the number of individuals receiving State aid has decreased because of new welfare laws. These data indicators demonstrate that extreme economic deprivation is a significant risk factor for the community.  RECIPIENTS OF FOOD STAMPS, MEDICAID AND TANF Early Academic Failure and Lack of Commitment to School Dropouts In a 1996 study, the longitudinal dropout rate for Texas was 9.1%, while for CCISD it was 13.4%, and for Robstown ISD it was 15.3%. In a 2000 study, the longitudinal rate for Texas dropped to 7.2% and for CCISD it dropped to 7.7%. However, for Robstown ISD, it increased from 15.3% in 1996 to 18.9% in 2000. Calallen ISD, Flour Bluff ISD, Tuloso-Midway ISD, and West Oso ISD all demonstrated a drop from the 1996 longitudinal study to the 2000 longitudinal study. In the 2000 school year, the annual dropout rate for most of the school districts in Nueces County was either at or below the State. The only two exceptions were Robstown ISD and West Oso ISD. In general, dropout remains a problem for school districts covering a majority of students in the County. Educational Attainment, Number and percent, 2000: TX % Nueces County % City of Corpus Christi % Total population 25 + 12,790,893 100.0 191,848 100.0 170,242 100.0 Less than 9th grade 1,465,420 11.5 23,676 12.3 18,909 11.1 9th to 12th grade, no diploma 1,649,141 12.8 25,504 13.3 22,229 13.1 High School graduate (includes equivalency) 3,176,743 24.9 48,026 25.1 42,051 24.7 Some college, no degree 2,858,802 22.3 47,658 24.8 43,530 25.5 Associate degree 668,494 5.3 10,953 5.7 10,077 6.0 Bachelors degree 1,996,250 15.6 22,927 12.0 21,206 12.4 Graduate or Professional degree 976,043 7.6 13,104 6.8 12,240 7.2 Early Academic Failure These risk factors are present and are contributing to the presence of delinquency in the community. The proportion of eligible students scoring at or above the Texas Education Agency accountability criteria on the SAT or ACT. For the 1993 to 1996 school years, this was reported as the proportion of all students eligible to take the exams but changed to the proportion of students taking the exam in the 1996-1997 school year. On this indicator, Robstown, West Oso, Tuloso-Midway, and Corpus Christi ISDs have had lower proportions than the State. Flour Bluff ISDs proportion has consistently remained higher than the State, whereas, the other five school districts have fluctuated from year to year. Reading and Math proficiency is improving in the State and within the Countys school districts. As measured by the TAAS test, both reading and math test scores have improved for the State and for the six largest school districts in Nueces County. However, for three of these school districts, CCISD, Robstown ISD, and West Oso ISD representing a majority of the students in the County, test scores have been below the State average for both reading and math. These indicators support the conclusion that early academic failure is present in the community. Lack of Commitment to School CCISD, West OSO ISD and ROBSTOWN ISD have generally had lower attendance rates than the State. Given the data indicators here and considering the dropout, literacy, and high school completion indicators, it may be concluded that early academic failure and lack of commitment to school are risk factors operating in our community. A connection to the Priority Risk Factors can be seen here. Economic growth is heavily dependent upon a workforce that can perform well in todays market. Our community cannot offer as high a proportion of high school educated, literate, prospective employees as other communities can. Thus, we are unable to compete for new businesses and industries as well. As a result, salaries remain low and unemployment remains high. Economic stress on families is perpetuated. Perhaps adults use drugs or alcohol to escape the stress, and thus, provide negative role models for youth. Nueces County has a higher level of adult illiteracy than the State as a whole. A 1994 national survey indicated that 23% of the States adult population tested in Level 1 (0-5th grade), and an additional 28% tested in Level 2 (less than high school completion) on the literacy scale. Figures reported for Nueces County were 24% for Level 1 and 32% for Level 2. Thus, a greater proportion of County residents function at lower literacy levels than the State. The only data found to examine educational attainment of less than 12 years for the 18 years of age and over population was the 1990 census. These data indicated that 31.7% of this population for Nueces County had not completed high school. Early Initiation of the Problem Behavior It has been demonstrated that the earlier children begin their involvement in problem behaviors, the more serious and longer that involvement becomes. Children from families in conflict experiencing economic stress, and provided with inappropriate role models are at high risk of engaging in the five problem behaviors at an early age. The juvenile data suggest that the behavior of the juveniles in regard to alcohol and drug use mirror that of the adults in Nueces County. Drugs & Early initiation of problem behavior: Arrests of juveniles in the 10 to 14 age group for drug abuse violations have increased in the State and County. From 1995 to 1999, arrests for these offenses increased 24.7% in the State; however, there was a slight decrease of 1.2% from 1999 to 2000. According to the Nueces County Juvenile Probation Department from 1993 to 2001, arrests for these offenses increased 100% in Nueces County. Drugs - The Youth Opportunities United (YOU) survey data indicate that Nueces County students begin their participation in the problem behaviors of drug and alcohol use at an early age. The YOU survey indicates that 16% of the students began their use of drugs or alcohol at age 10 and an additional 29.6% began by age 13. Nueces County children appear to start drug use at a younger age than the State average. AGE AT FIRST USE OF ALCOHOL OR DRUGS NUECES COUNTY STUDENTS (YEAR 2000) ALCOHOL, MARIJUANA, AND INHALANTS USE 8TH GRADERS (YEAR 2000)  DRUG USE 8TH GRADERS (YEAR 2000)  Favorable Parental Attitudes and Involvement in the Problem Behavior Parental Attitudes: Children whose parents or guardians engage in problem behaviors are likely to engage in the same behaviors. Nueces County sales of alcoholic beverages have remained relatively stable. From 1997 to 2001, there was an increase of 63.9%. Clearly, alcohol and drug use are problems among the adult population in Nueces County. The long-term effects of alcohol abuse can be seen by the number of deaths due to liver disease and cirrhosis. The figures indicate that Nueces County has a much higher death rate, due to liver disease and cirrhosis, than the State. These adult behaviors are sending a powerful message to the children of Nueces County. Evidence for this conclusion is found among the data indicators that follow. Family History of High Risk Behavior: The number of adults in drug treatment programs for the State and the County had been dropping until 1997 but increased 57.4% from 1997 to 1999. However, from 1999 to 2001 a decrease of 16.8% occurred among adults in treatment programs. The results are similar for Nueces County. Between 1997 and 1999, an 83.5% increase occurred, but a slight decrease of 10.6% between 1999-2001 occurred. However, these figures reflect programs reporting to the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse. Death/Drugs: An alternate data indicator is the number of deaths due to liver disease and cirrhosis. These figures indicate that Nueces County has a much higher death rate due to liver disease and cirrhosis than the State. The County death rate has increased 22.6% from 1993 to 2000. The 2000 death rate for Nueces County is 73.8% higher than that for the State. This is a clear indicator that drug and alcohol use is a significant problem in the community. SUMMARY AND RESTATEMENT OF PRIORITY RISK FACTORS The data reviewed above provide evidence that the Nueces County community suffers from juvenile delinquency fueled by five Priority Risk Factor Sets. (1) Family management problems and family conflict provide unstable environments, reduce the probability of social bonding, and prevent the development of healthy beliefs and clear standards for behavior. They damage childrens potential development early and reduce the possibility that families can be supportive of successful growth, educational completion, and gainful employment. (2) Extreme economic deprivation contributes significantly to stresses that lead to family management problems and conflict, reduces parents resources to be supportive of children, and creates family and neighborhood environments conducive to the development of behavioral problems. As a result, children from these environments demonstrate (3) early academic failure and lack of commitment to school. At the same time, these risk factors contribute to the failure of children to grow-up with the education and skills needed to be competitive in the economy, prepared for advanced education or technical training, and ready for professional jobs. They leave youth without the coping, problem solving, communication, and other skills necessary to be good parents and manage families well. (4) Early initiation of the problem behavior tends to remove children from environments where successful development is likely. These children are less likely to bond with their families, social institutions, or society itself. They are less likely to develop socially acceptable standards of behavior and healthy beliefs. They are more likely to fail in school, fail to develop an adequate work ethic or advanced job skills, and fail to develop the necessary knowledge and skills to be good parents. Then, they are likely to grow into adulthood to establish families in environments of economic deprivation that they fail to manage well. Thus, they may grow up to be adults that seek temporary stress relief through the use of alcohol and drugs. The (5) favorable attitudes and behavioral involvement they demonstrate toward substance use and abuse provide negative role models for the next generation of children. Children model their parents and other adults behaviors. They begin their substance abuse at an early age. ADDENDUM (LINKAGES): HOW RESOURCES WORK TOGETHER Several community strategy-planning initiatives are currently working together in addressing the need to identify and prioritize current community issues in order to react with coordinated services. Responding to the Corpus Christi Initiative of the Texas Cities Action Plan for Crime Prevention (T-CAP), the City Council established the Commission on Children and Youth in 1994. Its mission, to support a comprehensive system of services and advance policies to meet the needs of Corpus Christis children, youth and their families, is based on the Vision adopted from the T-CAP report: By the year 2000, Corpus Christi will be a community committed, philosophically and financially, to the well being, education, and success of children. Governments, schools and individuals will work together diligently, interacting and sharing ideas and concerns to improve the quality of life for all citizens. Everyone will be an active participant in promoting a safer and healthier community. A primary function of the Commission is to monitor funding needs and advise the City Council on acquiring and efficiently allocating resources for the benefit of youth and their families. In that effort, the Commission developed a comprehensive, integrated Master Plan to guide the City of Corpus Christi's policy and program creation for children, youth, and families into the next century while aggressively addressing current problems. The plan, approved by the City Council in April 1997, is currently undergoing review and updating in order to provide policy directives for the YOU Comprehensive Strategic Plan (described below). In 1997, Corpus Christi was selected by the U. S. Department of Justice/Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) as one of five sites in Texas to receive training and technical assistance to develop a Comprehensive Strategy to prevent serious, violent, and chronic juvenile crime. The comprehensive strategic initiative included participation from county and city governments and departments, law enforcement and judiciary, school districts, health and human resource agencies, social service organizations, business and professional organizations, civic organizations, area military units, communities of faith, and representatives from parent and youth groups. The research and planning process involved an extensive yearlong study of the communitys needs, resources, and systems. At the completion and publication of the Youth Opportunities United 5 20 year Comprehensive Strategic Plan in May, 1999, Nueces County, the City of Corpus Christi, and the United Way of the Coastal Bend joined forces in an historic agreement as funding partners to initiate Youth Opportunities United (YOU), the youth services collaboration that is implementing, monitoring, and evaluating the plan. Monies generated by YOU partners and OJJDP are funding YOU projects and a grant writer to coordinate future project development. COLLABORATIONS AND LINKAGES: Community health, education, and social service organizations, in partnership with law enforcement, continue to build networks in order to reach more Coastal Bend youth and adults with appropriate services. A comprehensive approach to the development of a continuum of services for youth and adults is ensuring the right program, for the right person, at the right time. The Coastal Bend Council of Governments is responsible for preparing the applications for the Regional Training Academy and the Criminal Justice Coordination grants. The Criminal Justice Coordinator helps to address the manpower needs of law enforcement agencies in the region and to coordinate the efforts of local agencies to obtain needed funding for their projects. The Tri-County Narcotics Task Force works with regional law enforcement agencies regarding intelligence, identification, apprehending, and prosecuting drug users and dealers. Prosecution from the Narcotics Task Force works with local law enforcement to reduce crime that typically result from drugs; thefts, robberies, burglaries and assaults by users who are attempting to support their drug habits. Drug users are prosecuted and treated in court-ordered and supervised programs. The long-range goals of the Community Supervision and Corrections Department (CSCD) are to increase protection and involvement of the community, to provide the Courts with the most effective sentencing alternatives to incarceration, to rehabilitate and reintegrate the offender, and to provide excellent staff development. In order to realize these goals, CSCD is committed to extensive support and networking with all area service providers and agencies. There is considerable interaction between CSCD and all area law enforcement and criminal justice agencies. This department further strives to maintain a close and supporting working relationship with area agencies, including, but not limited to, those covered under this plan. The Juvenile departments receive referrals from law enforcement agencies, schools, Justice of the Peace, and Municipal Courts. They provide supervision of youthful offenders, enforcement of court orders, detention services, educational services for certain youth on probation, delinquency prevention program as well as victim services. They also network with the District Clerks Office and area social service agencies in providing necessary services to juvenile offenders and their families. The Nueces County Children's Advocacy Center, serving South Texas, works closely with law enforcement, district attorneys, caseworkers, medical and mental health professionals involved in the investigation, prosecution and treatment of child sexual abuse without subjecting the child to unnecessary multiple interviews. Through a multi-disciplinary team approach, the combined wisdom and professional experience are brought together resulting in a more complete understanding of case issues and the most effective system response possible. A case tracking system for child sexual abuse cases in Nueces County is available to the partner agencies to easily access case information related to other agencies and services. This system enhances the sharing of information for a more thorough response as well as a reduction in duplication of services. The center facilitates continued education in the field of child abuse through training opportunities for community professionals. CASA also works with other advocacy organizations and service providers in the Nueces County area to share information and monitor the provision of comprehensive services for abused and neglected children leading toward either family reunification or alternative placement. Coordinated services enhance investigation of these cases. These organizations include the Childrens Advocacy Center, the Child Abuse Prevention Council, the Family Violence and Sexual Assault Prevention Center of South Texas, Inc., Family Outreach, Family Counseling Services, MHMR, various residential treatment centers, medical care providers, and private mental health care providers. The Juvenile Assessment Center (JAC) is a collaborative effort between the City, County, local school districts, law enforcement, juvenile justice and human service agencies coordinated through the Citys Park and Recreation Department. The City has worked hard to maintain the collaborative focus established in the programs early days when the program, then known as TRIP, was under the umbrella of a non-profit agency called the Coastal Bend Alliance for Youth. The Crime Victim Services Division of Family Counseling Service receives referrals from all law enforcement and judicial agencies within the Coastal Bend area, and also networks with other victim service organizations. Through CVS Family Counseling Service offers free counseling sessions for crime victims who have no means to pay for counseling. Law Enforcement and other victim service agencies such as the Childrens Advocacy Center and the County Attorneys Domestic Violence Outreach Program often refer victims to CVS for this service. Crime Victim Services also has a licensed counselor on staff who is available to travel to counties within the Coastal Bend area to provide professional counseling to victims free of charge. This service is valuable to rural counties where such services are limited. The Community Resource Coordinating Group is a collaborative effort, which regularly staffs the cases of multi-agency children. This multi-agency staffing attempts to provide services for some of the most difficult cases and keep those cases from falling through the cracks between agencies. The Family Violence and Sexual Assault Prevention Center of South Texas, Inc., Parents Anonymous and Crime Victims Services divisions of Family Counseling Services, and the Nueces County Childrens Advocacy Center receive referrals from law enforcement, schools, churches, social service agencies, private therapists, medical professionals, TDHS, TDOH, United Way INFO LINE, substance abuse service providers, court services, and county probation services. Turning Points Counseling Services works in collaboration with several partnering agencies in an effort to prevent duplication of services, to promote information-sharing, and to strengthen programs. All services to partnering agencies are at no cost including MHMR, Nueces County Childrens Advocacy Center, Juvenile Probation Offices, Dos Mundos, Salvation Army, Communities In Schools, and others. Planned Parenthood works with, and serves as a resource for, local school districts, the Texas Youth Commission York House facility, the Nueces County Juvenile Justice Center, the Juvenile Curfew and Truancy Assessment Center, the OJJDP YOU initiative, and other social service agencies in providing educational outreach to reduce teen pregnancy and sexual abuse and assault. In a collaborative effort to address family involvement and student achievement, the Council on Alcohol and Substance Abuse-Coastal Bend and the Corpus Christi ISD offer the Family and School Together (FAST) Program in five CCISD elementary schools. This program is an innovative and collaborative prevention and parent-involvement program in which families gather and participate in specific, fun, research-based activities designed to strengthen bonds within the family, school and community. The program addresses three major problems, alcohol and other abuse, violence and delinquency, and school dropout. Youth Odyssey works closely with other community based service providers to ensure the maximum use of existing youth programs. The program has worked with the City of Corpus Christi Parks and Recreation Department, Weed and Seed, and the Boys and Girls Clubs to coordinate some of their programs. They receive referrals from many of the agencies detailed in this plan. Communities In Schools, Inc. (CIS) works in partnership with numerous agencies such as Goodwill Industries to provide GED services, Planned Parenthood through the CYD and TDH grant for Independent City. Partnering agencies that provide services to the CIS students and families at no cost are Turning Point, Nueces County Juvenile Department, Mental Health Mental Retardation (MHMR), Juvenile Curfew and Truancy Assessment Center (JAC), YMCA, Child Protective Services, United Way INFO LINE, local businesses and individuals. This agency also serves as a resource in providing school uniforms/clothing, eye exams/glasses, and school supplies, MIP (Minor in Possession) classes, Drug and Alcohol prevention programs, peer pressure, self-esteem, anger management programs, and Ballet Folklorico. It is a holistic approach so that students and families will be successful. ADDENDUM (GRANTEE FUNDING) CRIMINAL JUSTICE ISSUESIS PRESENT IN OUR COMMUNITYIS NOT PRESENT IN OUR COMMUNITYFOR ALL NUECES COUNTYONLY IN CORPUS CHRISTIDRUG COURTSXXPREVENTIONXXPROBATIONXXPAROLEXXPROSECUTIONXXLAW ENFORCEMENT ISSUESNARCOTICS TASK FORCESXXPREVENTIONXXEQUIPMENTXXCOUNTER TERRORISM/ HOMELAND SECURITYXXTRAININGXXCOMMUNITY POLICINGXXSEXUAL ASSAULTXXCOMMUNITY SUPERVISIONXXJUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION ISSUESSCHOOL RESOUCE OFFICERSJUVENILE OFFICERSAFE & DRUG-FREE SCHOOLS & COMMUNITIES ISSUESLAW ENFORCEMENT EDUCATION PARTNERSHIPSSCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERSSCHOOL BASED PROJECTSXXAFTER-SCHOOL PROJECTSXXCOMPREHENSIVE NEIGHBORHOOD DRUG-VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROJECTSXXTRAINING TO PARENTS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, JUSTICE, SCHOOL OFFICIALS, & COMMUNITY LEADERS ABOUT DRUG AND VIOLENCE PREVENTIONSPECIAL PROJECT THAT PROVIDES SERVICES NOT NORMALLY PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL SYSTEMVICTIM SERVICES ISSUESVICTIM OF CRIME ACT FUNDXXCHILD ADVOCACY CENTERSXXVICTIM ADVOCATESXXWOMEN'S SHELTERSXXFAMILY VIOLENCEXXSEXUAL ASSAULTXXIMMEDIATE HEALTH AND SAFETYCrisis InterventionXXHospital AccompanimentXXHot-line CounselingXXShelter & Emergency Short-term Nursing Home ShelterXXEmergency Legal AssistanceXXTemporary MeasureXXOne-Time Clothing & Food PurchasesXXOther Emergency ServicesXXMENTAL HEALTH ASSISTANCEXXASSISTANCE WITH PARTICIPATION IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCEEDINGSXXFORENSIC EXAMINATIONS XXCOSTS NECESSARY AND ESSENTIAL TO PROVIDING DIRECT SERVICESSPECIAL SERVICESXXRESTORATIVE JUSTICEXXPUBLIC PRESENTATIONSXXADVANCED TECHNOLOGIESVIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT FUNDTRAINING LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERSXXDEVELOPING, TRAINING, OR EXPANDING SPECIALIZED UNITSWish ListDEVEOLPING & IMPLEMENTING POLICE & PROSECUTION POLICIES, PROTOCOLS, ORDERS THAT RESPOND TO CRIMES AGAINST WOMENWish ListCREATING, INSTALLING, OR EXPANDING DATA COLLECTION & COMMUNICATION SYSTEMSDEVELOPING, ENLARGING, OR STRENGTHENING VICTIM SERVICE PROJECTSXXSexual AssaultXXDomestic ViolenceXXMinority FocusXXAdvocates in CourtXXCrisis InterventionXXAccompanimentXXAdvocacy & SupportXXSafety Planning & Risk AssessmentXXLegal AdvocacyXXInformation & ReferralXXPublic Awareness & EducationXXSexual Assault Nurse Examiner ServicesProtective OrdersXXElder Abuse PetitionsXXDEVELOPING, EXPANDING, OR STRENGTHENING STALKING PROGRAMSPROGRAMS FOR NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBESN/AN/AN/AN/A FISCAL YEAR 2004 Violence Against Women Act 13517-05 The Women Shelter $80,000 Goal: To reduce the trauma inherent in family violence and sexual assault victimization and provide support and education to such victims in order that they might live a violence-free life thereby reducing domestic violence and sexual assault in South Texas. It is the philosophy and practice of the organization that in order to facilitate long-term change for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault a variety of services must be available and presented in a client centered manner so that the victim might move towards non-violent self-sufficiency. In accordance with this philosophy, the following services will be provided under this project. A.) Shelter/Safe-house, B.) Fact to Face Crisis Counseling, C.) Face to Face Information and Referral, D.) Personal Advocacy, E.) Telephone Contact Information and Referral, F.) Group Treatment and Support. All services will be available in both Spanish and English. The Shelter/Safe House provides safe refuge for up to 65 victims fleeing abusive relationships and to those who have been sexually assaulted. Educational face to face individual and group counseling services are available to both victims residing in the shelter facility and those who are living independently in the community that do not request/require shelter. 15171-05 City of Corpus Christi $57,855 Goal: To lessen the trauma experienced as a direct result of victimization by providing victims of domestic violence and sexual assault with follow up assistance and crisis counseling, encouraging cooperation with law enforcement personnel, facilitating utilization of available resources, and assisting with immediate and long-term safety needs. Services A.) Crisis Counseling/Crisis Intervention, B.) Safety Planning, C.) Transportation to Emergency Shelter/Safe Location, D.) Magistrates Order of Emergency Protection, E.) Emergency Financial Assistance, F.) Crime Victims Compensation Assistance. G.) Criminal Justice and Investigative Procedure Information, H.) Personal Advocacy, I.) General Information and Referrals, J.) Legal Advocacy. 13478-06 Nueces County District Attorneys Office $47,653 Goal: To provide assistance to victims and law enforcement agencies in the Countys rural areas. Taking services to the victim by way of outreach services. The program also acquaints public service personnel such as law enforcement agencies and community resource agencies with methods of responding to growing instances of domestic conflict. Domestic violence disturbances continue to go unreported. A goal is to increase the capability of crime victims to come forward and report abuse by creating public awareness to all persons subject to direct or secondary effects of domestic violence. The advocate will be available to meet with victims in the rural areas by appointment or on a walk-in basis. The advocate will perform a number of services that otherwise would not be readily available to victims. These services include crisis intervention and peer counseling, legal advocacy such as assisting victims with filing of police reports and charges requesting magistrate orders and completing application and setting appointments with the County Attorneys Office for protective order hearings. The advocate will also assist with crime victims compensation applications and locating community resources. Training will include sensitivity training for law enforcement. Victims in these areas have limited access to resources and public service personnel who are knowledgeable in the dynamics of their situations. Many of these residents face language, ethnic, educational and geographical barriers that hinder them from seeking and receiving victim services. Agua Dulce, Annaville, Banquete, Bishop, Calallen, Driscoll, Flour Bluff, Port Aransas, and Robstown. The advocate will also be available to victims for peer counseling and moral support throughout the prosecution process as well as assist with safety planning and provide follow-up services. Title V 15654-03 City of Corpus Christi Pre-Delinquency Court and Case Management Project $ 250,000 Goal: To decrease juvenile crime by helping at-risk families connect with the service they need to help their children avoid delinquency and become productive citizens of the community. The Juvenile Assessment Center serves as a temporary holding facility for juveniles arrested by law enforcement for violations of daytime or nighttime curfews or for truancy. While at the Center juveniles are invited to participate in an intake and assessment process and are given information about services in the community that can help them with their needs. Juveniles are released to their parents who are also invited to participate in the assessment process and who also receive referrals to community services. Juveniles at-risk of delinquency and their families are offered three months of case management services to assist them with their problems. If they accept, a case manager from the juvenile assessment center will meet regularly with the family to plan problem-solving strategies and to monitor the familys progress. Examples of the kinds of services to which case managers link families include: A.) Tutoring and Educational Assistance, B.) Job Training, C.) Health Care, D.) Mental Health Services, E.) Life Skills Training, F.) Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counseling and Classes, G.) Leadership and Character development activities, H.) Cognitive Skills Training, I.) Strengths-Building and Positive Youth Development Activities, J.) Anger Management Training, K.) Mentoring, L.) Parenting Education and Support, M.) Peer Counseling, N.) Grief Counseling, O.) Family Counseling, P.) Pregnancy Prevention, Q.) Faith-Based Counseling. Juvenile Justice Delinquency and Prevention 14709-05 Nueces County Juvenile Justice Alternatives $ 39,265 Goal: To assist children who experience problems in the area of anger control and sexual aggression as well as other psychological concerns by providing the individuals and families with the tools with which to improve the family environment and their ability to cope with anger and sexual aggression and substance abuse. Purchases group counseling by licensed providers for juvenile offenders. The target group will be juveniles between the ages of 10-17 who are referred to the Juvenile Department for various offenses and their families. Counseling group sessions to be offered for sexual offenders, parents of sexual offenders, anger control, family impact, 12-step substance abuse, and life skills. Victims Of Crime Act 13628-05 Family Counseling Services $87,471 Goal: To help previously under-served victims reduce crime-related anxiety, utilize community resources, and increase willingness and ability to cooperate with the judicial process. The target group for this project is adults and children who have been labeled as previously underserved i.e. survivors of victims of homicide, victims of aggravated physical assault, traffic violations resulting in injury or death, child sexual assault, robbery, burglary, elder abuse, stalking, terroristic threat and hate crimes. The variety and depth of services offered through this agency are not otherwise available to most of these victims. Standard services offered include assistance in filing compensation claims, information/referral (in person and on the telephone), crisis intervention, counseling and therapy, group treatment and support, justice support and advocacy, court accompaniment, personal advocacy, follow up calls and letters, hospital visits and home visits. 13559-05 CASA $109,734 Goal: Trained community volunteers appointed by a judge provide advocacy in court for abused and neglected children who were removed from their families and placed in foster care. CASA volunteers gather information, evaluate the childrens needs and speak out in court on their behalf. CASAs goal is to represent the best interests of these children to ensure they are placed in safe nurturing homes as quickly as possible. CASA volunteers are ordinary people who are committed to doing what is best for the child. CASA volunteers are ordinary people who are committed to doing what is best for the child. CASA volunteers are thoroughly trained in courtroom procedure, social services, the juvenile justice system and the special needs of abused and neglected children. CASA volunteers work with the attorneys and social workers as officers of the court. They are responsible for taking the time to find out as much as possible about the child. CASA volunteers then appear in court to recommend to the judge what is best for the childs future. 13716-04 Nueces County Childrens Advocacy $67,132 Goal: To lessen the trauma to abused children and their families by providing counseling and counseling referrals, forensic interviews, court accompaniment/testimony, information/referral and support. Childrens Advocacy Center (CAC) operates on the fundamental belief that the best interests of the child victim should be protected as the case proceeds through the investigation and prosecution stages and beyond. CAC offers a child friendly environment where child victims can feel safe telling about what has happened to them and where the information and therapeutic services necessary to the healing process are readily accessible. The center provides investigative agencies a ch9ild friendly facility, a trained interviewer and state of the art equipment necessary for videotaped interviews or written statements of children age 2 to 18. 13789-05 The Womens Shelter $ 148,243 Goal: To reduce the trauma inherent in family violence and sexual assault victimization and provide support and education to such victims in order that they might live a violence-free life thereby reducing domestic violence and sexual assault in South Texas. The project is two-fold with the first area of focus being the continuation of a non-residential service center. Victim advocates provide peer counseling, education, regarding the dynamics of domestic violence and sexual assault, safety planning, information and referral, advocacy, law enforcement and court accompaniment, victims compensation assistance, transportation to safe shelter, assistance in filing for financial aid, housing, employment, child care, and educational opportunities, referrals, and counseling for children of families where there has been domestic violence or sexual assault. In addition, financial assistance with housing and utility deposits, first months rent, and assistance with rent/mortgage and utilities is available to agency clients. All activities are available in both English and Spanish languages. The second area or focus is Legal Advocacy Services. The legal advocate provides legal information and support, court and law enforcement accompaniment, assistance with filing victims compensation claims, assistance in seeking protective orders, assistance in matters of immigration, and acts as a liaison between the judicial system and victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. 15223-04 City of Corpus Christi $41,404 Goal: To lessen the trauma experienced as a direct result of victimization by providing victims of violent crimes and family members with crisis counseling, intervention, guidance for resolving problems, follow-up assistance, referrals to facilitate utilization of available resources, and assistance with immediate and long-term safety needs with the focus on encouraging cooperation with law enforcement and prosecution efforts. Services: A.) Crisis Counseling/Crisis Intervention, B.) Safety Planning and assistance in preparing protective orders, C.) Emergency Legal Advocacy and assistance with emergency financial needs, D.) Notification regarding eligibility and assistance with application to the Crime Victim Compensation Fund, including notary services. E.) Criminal Justice Support and Advocacy, F.) Advocating on victims behalf with other agencies and within the criminal justice system, G.) Information and Referrals, H.) Victim Case Follow-up, I.) Notification to victims of parole eligibility dates and discharge dates, J.) Personal Advocacy. 14064-05 Turning Point Counseling $68,471 Goal: Provide mental health assistance to persons victimized by crime. Assist victims, their families and support groups to cope with crisis, re-establish self-help abilities, identify, and use available community assistance including financial and legal resources. Develop crime resistance and survival skills. Turning Point is a non-profit mental health agency developed as a collaborative program by community based licensed professionals, and the Texas A&M University system counseling department. Therapy services are provided at no cost to consumers and ability to pay does not limit immediate access to treatment nor does it limit the amount of services provided to meet a crime victims need. Treatment is provided by licensed professionals and volunteer counselor interns. The Victims of Crime Program produces four interlocking work products and counseling, continuity of care, access, and collaboration with agency systems. A.) Counseling Services include psychosocial assessment, individual, marital, and family counseling. B.) Continuity of Care Linkage with other available services in the community. C.) Access Lack of access due to transportation, assistive care in the home, resistance to exposure of family dysfunctions, limited knowledge of services and eligibility and the perceived stigma of treatment inhibits service receptives. Taking services to clients in homes, schools, churches and other locations facilitates participation. Public information to inform citizens of services takes place through networking, public presentations, family education and media utilization. D.) Collaboration Crime victims require assistance form law enforcement, medical facilities, spiritual care, material goods and services including food and financial support. Interagency input is elicited in development of treatment plans. 421 State Grant Fund City of Corpus Christi: Crime Scene Technicians $26,597 Goal: To collect DNA samples as required by law as well as samples from other selected crimes in an effort to enhance the investigative capabilities of the Corpus Christi Police Department and Nueces County as well as help populate the Combined DNA Index Systems (CODIS). 14549-05 Turning Point Counseling Services: Outreach Services $5,414 Goal: To collaborate with community agencies in an effort to reach youth to help reduce and prevent at-risk behaviors in children and their families by providing readily accessible counseling and support which focuses on education youth about healthy problem-solving skills. Improving accessibility to counseling services through our experience with the Outreach Services Program we have identified obstacles to treatment; transportation difficulties, the presence of disabled family members in the home where there is not assistive care, the lack of health insurance, low income, and a general resistance to the concept of obtaining intervention to address familial issues through the counseling services. Additionally, services are not evenly distributed in the rural areas and geographic roadblocks exist. These obstacles have blocked access to, and hindered treatment for a majority of our referrals. Our agency has addressed these issues by making our direct counseling services easily accessible to our clients through providing home-based, as well as, on-site interventions in local offices. We have extended our services to include the areas of Nueces and Aransas Counties. If a family is referred and either has difficulty obtaining or accessing transportation to our facility or a facility in our outlying areas, we arrange to have a counselor provide these counseling services in their home. An additional benefit to providing these home-based services is that it tends to reduce the stigma and resistance that most families encounter when first recommended for counseling. Thus, a child or family who might not otherwise follow-up on a referral for counseling or accept services, tends to be more willing to make an attempt at treatment if the services are readily accessible and at a reduced commitment to the family in some manner. Making Counseling Affordable: A large portion of our referrals by our collaborating agencies have been families lacking insurance benefits or the ability to pay for direct counseling services, though they have been determined to be in a great need of these services. We have been contacted regularly by Communities in Schools, Child Advocacy Center, Nueces County, Juvenile Probation agencies, Juvenile Assessment Center, Child Protective Services, Nueces County MHMR, Womens Shelter, and the Early Childhood Development Center at Texas A&M University Corpus Christi with requests to provide counseling services at NO COST to referred clients. Many of our referrals are from the ranks of the working poor. They have attempted to access state-funded services within their abilities, but fall through the cracks of an under funded and overburdened system. Nueces County Child Abuse Prosecutor $55,000 Goal: To have a specialized child abuse prosecutor working as part of a multidisciplinary team consisting of law enforcement, child protective services, Driscoll Childrens hospital and the Nueces County Childrens Advocacy Center to ensure successful prosecution of child abuse cases while lessening the trauma to the child victim and their non-offending family members. The prosecutor will provide legal oversight to the multidisciplinary team from initial outcry to case disposal in all child abuse cases. This oversight will enhance the joint investigation process by allowing for team members to have legal consultation from the initial intake, aide the prosecutor in constructing a sound case, decrease time from intake to disposal and lessen the trauma to the child. 15416-04 City of Corpus Christi: Computer Forensics Specialist $26,597 Goal: To enhance the capabilities of the Corpus Christi Police Department in the areas of prevention, investigation, computer based sexual exploitation of children, identity theft, and prosecution of computer-facilitated crime. The specialist enhances the capabilities and efforts of the CCPD, FBI, US Customs, and other law enforcement agencies in the prevention, investigation, and prosecution of individuals involved in computer related crimes. The specialist also provides technical advice to prosecutors and expert testimony during trials and trains police investigators and field personnel in the spotting of computer crimes and the basic on-site search/seizure procedures. Additionally, the specialist works closely with other governmental agencies providing technical advice and/or forensic support as needed. Through the use of community lectures, newspaper articles, and radio/television Public Service Announcements, individuals in Nueces County will be given information on computer related crimes how to not become a victim and what to do if they discover a crime. 15855-03 Family Counseling Service: Choice Living Gender Specific Program $38,705 Goal: To prevent/reduce long-term criminal activity of girls through strengthening families by teaching interpersonal/lifeskills to adolescent girls and their guardians, emphasizing personal/parental responsibility and accountability through family/individual therapy and educational groups. This program focuses on the consistent proportion of females involved in juvenile crime in Nueces County. It provides training in life skills along with intensive counseling for adolescent girls and their parents/guardians. Referrals are made by County Court at Law #5, Nueces County Juvenile Probation staff and the Juvenile Assessment Center, in addition to other agencies when space is available. A bilingual/bicultural program assistant has been hired to facilitate services for the Spanish speaking population. Some of the skills which are taught include assumption of personal responsibility, conflict resolution, communication, problem solving, understanding chemical dependency, building self-esteem, anger management, physical violence and abuse, setbacks caused by early pregnancy and finding success in school and work. Regional Training Academy $86,282 Goal: To provide law enforcement officers for the local law enforcement agencies in the Region in order to make the Region a safer place and maintain the Regions quality of life. This academy primarily serves the smaller agencies and the rural areas of the Region. It provides an opportunity for citizens from the Region to enter employment in the field of law enforcement. This project will help the communities of